Tag: from scratch

Gluten Free Italian Wine Biscuits

This recipe is about a memory.  Of my long-ago childhood home, when my younger self would arrive home from school to find that my mother had been baking.  Of the aroma that filled the kitchen, the table covered with racks holding dozens and dozens of these fragrant Italian treats just out of the oven.  We would devour them still warm, when they had the consistency of a soft cookie.  Later, when fully cooled they would firm up to a crisp exterior perfect for dunking in coffee!

Why do I remember this particular recipe so fondly?  Like most women of her generation my mother embraced convenience foods, and her cookies and cakes were usually made from a boxed mix.  Not these Wine Biscuits though, they were always made from scratch!

It’s a popular recipe and an easy one too!  Every Italian has their own little variation, but the basic ingredients include a cup of sugar, a cup of oil and a cup of wine.  My mother used eggs in hers.  I know that others do not, but I think the egg definitely helped with the consistency in this gluten free makeover.

It was a challenge to recreate the exact texture of these biscuits with a gluten free flour.  Although we call them biscuits, they are actually a shaped cookie.  The dough had to be workable enough to roll into thin ropes, to form the traditional twist and knot shapes.  A tall order for gluten free!

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The Flour

In keeping with the simplicity of my mother’s recipe, I did not want to make a 20-ingredient flour blend.  So, I used Better Batter Original All Purpose Flour and was very pleased with the taste and texture of the wine biscuits.  They got a big thumbs up from family and friends who sampled them!  Please note that other gluten free flour blends may work, but since every brand is different, you may not achieve the same results with another flour.

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Yield: 2 dozen

My mother’s original recipe made 4 dozen wine biscuits and believe me, in those days they disappeared before having a chance to cool down!  I decided to cut the recipe in half, and it was just the right amount for a small get together.  You can double it for a larger group or holiday baking.

Ingredients:

Plus . . . . . . . . . . . .

  • additional flour for dusting and rolling
  • 1 beaten egg, for egg wash

Preparation:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the egg, sugar, oil and wine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to wet and beat until a soft dough forms.

Lightly flour a cutting board, and scoop out one rounded tablespoon of dough at a time.  Roll each piece into a rope, about 1/2″ thick and 10″ long.  Keep the board and your fingers lightly floured while handling the dough.

You can shape the ropes into a knot or a twist.  My mother would simply form a round and pinch the ends together, that works too!  You should have enough for about 2 dozen.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and arrange the formed wine biscuits, leaving a few inches of space in between.  Refrigerate for 1 hour before baking.  Keeping them cold helps the biscuits retain their shape.

Preheat the oven to 325º.  Whisk together 1 egg with 1 tbsp. water and lightly brush the wine biscuits with the egg wash.

Bake for 22-25 minutes.  Cool in the pan 10 minutes then transfer to a rack.  Enjoy them warm or at room temperature.

Store airtight at room temperature 2-3 days.  I imagine they would freeze well but this batch did not last long enough to find out!

Notes ♪♫ My mother made these biscuits with my grandfather’s homemade red wine. 🍷 There was always a bottle in the refrigerator.  Even when the wine was past its prime, it was good for cooking, and this was how it usually got used up!  You can use any red wine that you enjoy drinking (i.e., not cooking wine!).

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Easy Gluten Free Italian Sausage Patties No Salt

Why make your own sausage? 

Today we have so many brands of gluten free sausage that are widely available.  So why am I going through the trouble of making it from scratch?

The short answer, a couple of years ago when my blood pressure started going up, up, up I decided to embrace lower sodium cooking.  As a woman of a certain age, I can tell you when that check engine light goes on, you had best take it seriously!

I decided to make this homemade Italian Sausage with no added salt, so that I could use it freely without worry about adding yet more salt to a recipe.

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I have also replaced my favorite convenience items like chicken broth, canned tomatoes and beans with the unsalted or lower sodium version.  Some of my purchased spice blends had an amazing amount of salt, so sadly they too had to go.  I now mix my own blends, and they are better, fresher and less expensive.

Ok, back to the sausage.  I love using Italian sausage in my recipes.  I add a little to my Meatloaf, Meatballs, Pizza, even my Shepherd’s Pie!  These sausage patties are perfect for adding a little extra flavor to ground beef recipes!

Maybe you’re not worried about sodium.  Why then make your own sausage?  Because you control the ingredients.  Want less fat?  Instead of all pork use a combination of pork and turkey or use all turkey or chicken.  Don’t like fennel?  Leave it out.  Like it spicy?  Add more hot pepper flakes.  You get the idea.

Note- I am not grinding my own meat nor am I using casings.  Remember, I called this an easy recipe?

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Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1 lb. ground turkey (optional, you can use 2 lbs. pork)
  • 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1-1/2 tsp. peppercorns, ground
  • 2 tsp. parsley
  • 2 tsp. garlic granules
  • 2 tsp. onion granules
  • 2 tsp. basil
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, ground
  • 1/2 tsp. ground fennel seed
  • 1/4 tsp. oregano
  • 1/4 tsp. thyme
  • 1 tsp. brown sugar

Preparation:

Measure the spices before you begin.  I used a coffee grinder to break up my peppercorns, fennel seed and red pepper flakes.

Add the pork and turkey to a large bowl.

Use 2 forks to break apart the meat and mix it together.  This will take some time and patience, as you want it well mixed but not compressed.

Add the vinegar one tbsp. at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Whisk the spices together and sprinkle over the meat, using the forks to incorporate the spices throughout the mixture.  If you’re not watching salt go ahead and add some here.

I used a scale to measure out 4 oz. patties.  I pressed them between wax paper squares.  This recipe yields 8 patties.

The patties need to rest for 12 hours in the refrigerator prior to cooking, this allows the flavors to meld, and the vinegar tenderizes the meat.

After 12 hours in the fridge the sausage patties are ready to be cooked or frozen.  They are great for breakfast or in a sandwich.

Use them in meat sauce, casseroles and stuffing.

Notes ♪♫ In most of my recipes I will recommend that you add salt or seasoning to taste.  Whether you need to limit salt for medical reasons or just a personal preference, when you cook from scratch you are always in control.

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Homemade Espresso Powder

Like many, I’m getting ready to do a little holiday baking.  Desserts are not my forte, but I do like to indulge in the occasional treat.  That being said, I really do not want to spend money on pricey, seldom used ingredients like Espresso Powder.  So with a little research, I learned how to make a small amount at home that cost me ZERO$$$!  That’s right, the only ingredient needed are spent coffee grounds.

So get your morning coffee brewing and let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • used coffee grounds

Preparation:

Brew coffee and reserve the grounds.  Let them drain for a bit, then spread the grounds in an even layer onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake the grounds for 1 hour at 250º, then turn off the oven and leave the pan in for another 2 hours.  The grounds should be very dry to the touch.

Transfer the grounds to a coffee grinder and process into a fine powder.

Store in an air tight container, I used a small Ball jar.

Use in recipes that call for espresso powder.

Notes ♪♫ I’m a New England girl, and we love our Dunkin Donuts coffee!  That’s what I used in this post, of course you can use real espresso or any roast you prefer.

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Gluten Free Hamburger Buns “BYOB”

Summer is in full swing, and with it the long-awaited cookouts and neighborhood barbeques.  A burger on the grill is one of life’s simple pleasures, but when you have Celiac disease, an invitation to the family cookout usually means “BYOB” – Bring your own bun!

It’s all part of gluten free living, but that doesn’t mean settling for the frozen cardboard buns at the market.  Instead, enjoy that burger on an awesome, gluten free bun that you made from scratch!

I’ve gone through the trial and error of testing endless grain combinations to create the most delicious gluten free hamburger bun.  It holds together beautifully, no crumbling! It’s delicious toasted but doesn’t need toasting, and the taste is amazing!  The other guests may be jealous, so be sure and make enough to share 🙂

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6 buns

*Contains Oats – see notes

Ingredients:

  • 2-1/4 tsp. yeast (1 packet)
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 cup 1% milk

………………………………………….

**(Note: If you are avoiding oats, substitute 50 g. sorghum flour for the oat flour in this recipe.  You can also try buckwheat or millet flour)

………………………………………….

  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 3/4 cup water

………………………………………….

  • 1 tbsp. milk
  • tbsp. sesame and poppy seeds (optional but good)

Gluten free dough really does benefit from the support of a bun pan to help keep its shape as it rises. This one, from USA Pan is perfect.  You can also use muffin rings or even canning jar lids.

Preparation:

Microwave 1/2 cup milk for 30 seconds.  Stir in the yeast and sugar and let it proof 15 minutes while you gather the rest of the ingredients.

Whisk together the dry ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg, canola oil and honey with the proofed yeast mixture.  Switch to the beater attachment and add the dry ingredients with 3/4 cup water on low speed until combined.

Beat for 6 minutes to form a wet dough that clings to the beater like this.

Gather the dough together in the mixer bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it rest for 15 minutes.  This will give the dry ingredients a chance to hydrate.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and sprinkle with more flour.  The dough will look shaggy, like this.

Use a bench knife to divide the dough into 6 even pieces.  Sprinkle generously with more flour.

Use floured hands and bench knife to gently roll and pat each piece into a ball.  Handle the dough with a very light touch and apply as little pressure as possible.

Spritz the bun pan with cooking spray and gently transfer the formed buns.  Cover with oiled plastic wrap and proof for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 400º, and lower to 350º just before baking.  Brush milk over the tops of the buns and sprinkle with seeds if desired.  Use a paring knife to score each bun down the center.

Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack.  Spray the sides of the oven with water and quickly close the door.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 200º (use a thermometer).  Turn the oven off, open the oven door slightly, and leave the buns in for 5 minutes longer.

Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.  Don’t slice until they have completely cooled.

The rolls are perfection, they have a nutty, bready aroma and a soft crumb!

Toast them up or not, they are great either way!

They are the perfect accompaniment to all your summer burgers and lunch sandwiches!  For something different, try them with my Gluten Free Salmon Burgers.

Notes ♪♫ Rather than stock oat flour in my pantry, I buy old fashioned rolled oats and grind them in a coffee grinder when flour is needed.  In doing so I always have oats on hand for breakfast, adding to recipes in whole form or to grind for small amounts of flour.  For best texture and nutrition, I use old fashioned rolled oats, not instant.  Of course, ALWAYS choose certified gluten free oats and for extra peace of mind buy Purity Protocol Oats.

Notes ♪♫ Oats continue to be highly controversial when it comes to celiac disease.  For myself, I have decided to only use gluten free oats processed under a purity protocol, such as Bakery on Main.  As always, consult with your own medical team for advice.  Whether or not you continue to consume oats is a personal choice.

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Gluten Free Millet Bread

I have my favorite toasting breads for breakfast.  They are dense, hearty seeded loaves that hold up well in the toaster like Mighty Tasty Toasting Bread and Millet and Buckwheat Toasting Bread.  But as much as I love their texture, sometimes I’m craving a soft, enriched bread to make sandwiches, or maybe French Toast?  This Gluten Free Millet Bread fits the bill.  It has a soft, cake-like crumb with just a hint of sweetness.

I used Bobs Red Mill whole grain millet in this recipe.  The loaf pan is from USA Pan, made in the USA!

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I used freshly ground millet in this recipe.  Milling your own flour is a great way to add fresh, nutritious whole grains to your baking.  Learn more about using a grain mill here.  Feel free to use purchased millet flour, if you can’t find it in stores it is widely available online.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Whisk together the dry ingredients, millet flour through salt and add them to the bowl of your stand mixer.  In a separate bowl, microwave 1 cup of milk for 30 seconds.  Whisk in the yeast and honey and let it stand for 10 minutes until bubbly.

Whisk the eggs, canola oil and cider vinegar into the yeast mixture.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually pour in the wet ingredients.  Once incorporated, increase speed and beat 3 minutes with the paddle attachment.  The dough will be heavy and clinging to the paddle.

I baked this loaf in a 9″ x 4″ x 4″ pullman pan, the higher sides support the loaf as it rises.  I always line my loaf pans with parchment paper, to easily remove the finished loaf.

Scrape the dough into the pan and use a wet spatula to smooth it out evenly.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Let it rise for 1 hour.  I set my pan on top of some padding, so that the pan wasn’t resting directly on the cold counter surface.

Preheat the oven to 350º.  Just before placing in the oven, mist the top of the loaf with water and quickly mist the sides of the oven.  Bake for 45-50 minutes.  The internal temperature should be between 195-200º.

Look at that beautiful loaf!  I was worried that the dough hadn’t risen much but look at the oven spring!  The high sided loaf pan definitely helped with that!

Cool completely on a rack before slicing.

This is exactly what I was hoping for.  It looks like French Toast is back in the breakfast rotation!

Notes ♪♫ Need more inspiration?  Check out this French Toast Casserole with Blueberries and Cream Cheese, or this delectable Tiramisu French Toast!  Both were made with this Gluten Free Millet Bread!

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Tomato Bean Soup with Chicken Sausage

Making soup is one of my favorite ways to clear the pantry.  This wonderful fall soup is a great example of what you can put together from little bits of this and that from your pantry and freezer.  I had a cup of dry beans, some frozen chicken sausage along with the fresh roasted tomato sauce that I made earlier (in case you missed that post, catch it here).  Of course you can use a can of fire roasted tomatoes and canned beans, but don’t shy away from cooking beans from scratch, it’s easy and they are a healthy and nutritious addition to winter meals.  Just follow my step by step instructions!

4-6 servings

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

I had a cup of dry beans in the pantry left over from another recipe, a mix of Borlotti and Great Northern.  You can use whatever beans you prefer (see notes).  Soak the beans overnight in cold water.

In the morning, the beans will have almost doubled in size.  Drain and rinse them, and return to the pot.  Cover with cold water and add 2 bay leaves.  Simmer 2 hours on low heat.

Notice that I started with cold water.  One of the secrets to tender beans is to cook them slowly and gently.  The heat is on very low the entire time, so the water comes to temperature slowly.  When it does reach a boil, I keep it on a very low simmer.  Also note that I did not add salt.  Salt toughens the beans, so we only add it during the final hour of cooking.

After a 2 hour simmer, drain the beans and discard the bay leaves.  Wipe the pot clean to remove all moisture and add one tbsp. olive oil.

To kick up the flavor in this soup, I added 2 chicken sausage links from my freezer pantry, one hot and one mild.  You can use pork sausage, ham or whatever protein you prefer, just be sure it’s gluten free.  Dice the sausage into 1/2″ pieces and cook until any liquid has evaporated and the meat is nicely browned.  Pardon the shaky photo but you get the idea!

Remove the sausage, cover and set it aside until the soup has finished.  Leave any fat and browned bits in the pot and add another tbsp. olive oil.  Add all of the veggies and season with salt and pepper.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Now add back the beans, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, sage and thyme.  Cover and simmer (keep the heat very low) for 1 more hour.

To finish the soup, stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional but I like the spicy kick) and return the sausage to the pot to heat through.

Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh chives and serve with grated cheese.

We really enjoyed this soup, even though it was quite warm this first weekend of autumn!  I’ll be sharing more of my favorite soup recipes in the coming weeks, and I hope you will come by again to see what’s cooking in my Cucina!

Notes ♪♫  Beans are a naturally gluten free food.  However, be wary of the mixed bean packages as some contain barley.  I always rinse my beans thoroughly to limit risk of any cross contact during processing.

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Roasted Tomato Sauce

Last weekend I was gifted a bag of garden tomatoes.  They were a mix of  different colors, shapes and sizes.  Some were perfect, others had blemishes.  They sat on the counter for a few days while I decided what to do with them.

I’ve read several articles about roasting tomatoes for sauce, but have never tried it myself.  I must admit that I prefer the convenience of canned tomatoes, but with this bowl of fresh garden tomatoes in front of me I was inspired to give it a try.

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The preparation was simple.  I lined a baking sheet with parchment paper and rubbed it with olive oil.  I cut the tomatoes into 3/4″ slices and placed them skin side up on the oiled baking sheet.  I drizzled them with a little more olive oil, added a few garlic cloves and sprinkled with gluten free Italian seasoning.  I roasted the tomatoes for 2-1/2 hours at 250º.

When I removed the tomatoes from the oven, the skins were split and blistered.  I used tongs to gently lift off the skins and discarded them. I also removed the garlic.

Then I picked up the corners of the parchment and poured the tomatoes and juice into a sauce pot.

I used a stick blender to puree the tomatoes into a smooth sauce.

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of roasted tomatoes and garlic!  As you can see, the sauce is orange in color.  Quite different from the red canned sauce that we usually purchase.

My tomatoes yielded just under 2 cups of sauce.  It really gives you an appreciation of how many tomatoes are needed to fill a large sauce can.

So now my roasted tomato sauce is in the refrigerator waiting to become part of another meal (check it out here)!

Notes ♪♫ Canned tomatoes are one of the few processed foods that I indulge in.  My mother always used Hunts Sauce and I prefer it to this day, maybe because of the memories it brings.  Muir Glen is another favorite brand, especially their Fire Roasted Tomatoes which by the way are a fine stand-in for this very recipe!

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Maple Sorghum Cereal Flakes

When I first had to go gluten free, one of my biggest disappointments was breakfast.  I have always enjoyed whole grain wheat cereals, so I was shocked to find that gluten free cereals did not measure up.  Many are made with refined flours and are full of sugar, kid stuff!

I want an adult cereal with great flavor, texture and fiber.  So, after 2 years of choking down sugary cardboard flakes I decided to try making my own.  Why not?  I began by thinking about my favorite cereals “BC” (before Celiac!).  What did I like about them?  Not too sweet, great chew, whole grains and seeds.  I started brainstorming grain combinations that I thought would be tasty and got to work.

The result, my first homemade, from scratch gluten free cereal!  I tasted the crunchy flakes and thought, this is what I’ve been missing.  While I waited impatiently for breakfast, I wondered if the flakes would get soggy in milk but no, they stayed crispy as well as any of the box brands.

Now I can hear you groaning, you make your own cereal, really? Let’s be honest friends, this wasn’t hard to do.  Making the dough was simple.  Spreading it out in a thin layer took some patience but I got through it quickly.  The oven did the rest.

Seriously, you have got to try this!

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Yield 9 oz. – about 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 114 g. Sorghum flour
  • 57 g. Brown rice flour
  • 14 g. Teff grain, ground
  • 13 g. Flax seeds, ground
  • 29 g. Almond flour
  • 30 g. Cassava flour
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp. Canola oil
  • 1-1/3 cups water

Preparation:

I chose sorghum as the predominant grain because I love it in my bread baking, along with brown rice.  Teff has always reminded me of cereal.  It has a strong taste that can easily overpower a recipe, but I knew that adding just a little would boost the flavor profile.  I ground the Teff grain and flax seeds in a coffee grinder.

To make the dough, I first whisked together the dry ingredients.  Then I added the maple syrup and canola oil to the bowl of my stand mixer and began combining with the flour mixture using the paddle attachment.  I added water, 1 tbsp. at a time until I had a wet dough, like pancake batter.  In all I used 21 tbsp. of water, about 1-1/3 cups.

I lined 2 large baking sheets with parchment and divided the dough between the 2 sheets.  I then used a wet spatula to spread the dough out into a very thin layer.  Start in the middle and spread the dough outward to the edges of the parchment.

I baked it for 45 minutes at 300 degrees, rotating the pans and alternating oven racks every 15 minutes.  When I removed the pans from the oven, I let them cool for 5 minutes.  The sheets of dough were already cracking in places, and it was easy to finish breaking them into flakes with my hands.

For the last step I spread the flakes out and put them back into the oven, lowering the temperature to 250 degrees.  I baked the flakes for another 10 minutes to get them completely dried out and crispy.

When the flakes are completely cooled, store in an airtight container.  I’m not sure how long they would last, I finished eating them in about 3 days!

Not only did my homemade flakes taste great but I know I saved money by making them at home.  I may give up on store bought cereal all together.  Please do try the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments!  I love hearing from you!

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Potato Chips

Crispy potato chips, hot out of the oven!  Better and tastier than store bought, with no preservatives and you control the salt content.  Only 3 ingredients – potatoes, seasoned salt and cooking spray.  Kid friendly, and even picky eaters will love them!

Potatoes are a mainstay of the gluten free diet, especially when dining out.  For me, homemade potato chips are a welcome break from the usual baked or mashed that I get at a restaurant.  I sliced the potatoes paper thin on a mandoline, but you can also do this with a good kitchen knife.  Potatoes can be peeled or not, I like mine with the skins on for extra texture.

2 – 3 servings

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Ingredients:

  • 1 large russet potato
  • cooking spray
  • salt or seasoned salt (I like Lawry’s)

Preparation:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and mist with cooking spray.   Slice the potato paper thin using a knife or mandoline.  Watch your fingers!

Spread the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.  If you are doubling the recipe, do not crowd the pan.  Use 2 baking sheets.

Mist the tops with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with seasoned salt.

Bake for 20 minutes at 425º, rotating the pan halfway through.  Check them after 15 minutes.

You can make them as soft or as crunchy as you like, just keep an eye that they don’t burn.  I think this batch is perfect, the chips are just starting to blister, and the edges are starting to curl.

Notes ♪♫ I prefer to bake potato chips on parchment paper.  Be aware that the chips baked on foil will brown much faster than with parchment, so check frequently that they don’t burn!

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